Finding Unauthorized Faith…

Happy Potter Tuesday! Today we are going to look at the chapter where Vernon cracks up and drives the whole family to a rock in the ocean (they take a boat) in the midst of an impending storm. What struck me when re-reading this highly-amusing chapter is the following Vernon quote:

Oh, these people’s minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they’re not like you and me.

This line got me to thinking: The way we think affects the way we behave and the way we perceive others. So much so that Paul’s advice to us is:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. ~ Romans 12:2 ESV

If we want to change the way we act and perceive, we need to renew our minds. To do that we need to download the type of thinking we want to have into the hard drive of our brains. Harry already thought differently than the Dursleys, but when he went to Hogwarts and began to download new ways of thinking from the wizarding world (albeit filtering certain ways of thinking, ahem Draco, out) Harry began to grow and change from the inside out. He downloaded friendship, love, selflessness, bravery, fun, sportsmanship, family, loyalty, to name a few. And we can do the same by going to Hogwarts with Harry (reading the books) and reading the Book that was highly influential in Harry’s journey…

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ~ Philippians 4:8 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

For me, I want my thoughts to be directed by God’s standard of love and grace and mercy, so each day I strive to download a little be more of his software into my thinking by reading a bit of his word. (Like I strive to download the things Harry learned at Hogwarts by re-reading the series each year.) Harry was raised with the Dursleys but his thinking was completely contrary to theirs. We don’t have to be a product of our environment. We can choose to overcome. We can choose to be and think any way we want to.

I want to think in love. I want to think in friendship. I want to think in bravery.